The End of Telltale
Telltale Games employees were appalled after hearing the shocking announcement during what seemed like another routine meeting on a recent Friday. Pete Hawley, CEO of the popular video game developer, brazenly stated that the company is reinforcing a “majority studio closure”. This was immediately followed by layoffs of about 200 employees. Immediately– as in the employees had precisely 30 minutes to clear the building after hearing the news. Dismayed as they were, the employees took another hit as they learned they would not be receiving a severance package. AND their health insurance would be shortly concluding at the end of the month.
What Happened?
What brought on this sudden change, anyway? Why did these loyal employees receive no warning whatsoever? No matter what the reason (or excuse), there is no answer that can justify the Telltale’s rash actions. However, Co-Founder Dan Connors recently spoke up about the company’s financial situation. He stated that they “had no choice” as to everything that occurred with the company’s downfall.
Telltale Games was allegedly working hard to close a major financing deal when one of their key potential backers unexpectedly pulled out. This sudden move pushed the company over the edge, forcing them to take such drastic measures. As several rumors continue milling around, one fact remains consistent. There has been a clash of direction occurring for quite some time. Former Telltale CEO Kevin Bruner claims this is what ultimately pushed him to step down last year. Issues with management and the overview of the company’s direction ultimately led to their downfall.
Now What?
So, what happens now? After all, Telltale Games is what graced our presence with the development of epic video games like Game of Thrones, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Batman (just to name a few). What about all those promised releases that are scheduled to come out? (i.e The Walking Dead, Stranger Things, The Wolf Among Us, p.2).
“Multiple potential partners have stepped forward to express interest in helping to see The Final Season through to completion,” Telltale said on Twitter regarding TWD. “While we can’t make any promises today, we are actively working towards a solution that will allow episodes three and four to be completed and released in some form. In the meantime, episode two will release tomorrow across as planned. We hope to have answers to your other questions soon.”
So there’s hope, after all! (?) But what about Telltale’s collaboration with Netflix’s Stranger Things? Fans were excited to take a sneak peek at some of the leaked footage that was just released, Yet, many are still left wondering the game’s fate considering Telltale’s recent turn of events. Netflix notified Polygon that they are “in the process of evaluating other options for bringing the Stranger Things universe to life in an interactive medium.” Hopefully, this means there will be a Stranger Things game but are Telltale’s remaining 25 employees up to the task?
This meager group is responsible for finishing the project of Minecraft: Story Mode adaptation for Netflix, so it appears they already have their hands full. Fans are all curious: what video game developer will assume the responsibilities of these binge-worthy games?
Let us know your thoughts on Telltale’s closing in the comments below!